bernardmcilwaine Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 theres a book on e.bay entitled, the cellar house of pervyse,punch in ww1,catagory books and its on the third page,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 This was the first of the books recounting the adventures of the Baroness T'Serclaes [Mrs. Elsie Knocker] and eighteen year old Scot, Mairi Chisholm. It was published by A&C Black in 1916 from diaries and memoirs sent by Elsie Knocker, and was followed many years later by 'Flanders and Other Fields' which contained much of the original content, and onward to WW2. Mrs. Knocker was 'a trained nurse, an excellent mechanic and chauffeur; she spoke French and German and with all that it hardly needs adding she was a capable woman...' and the two women joined an 'amateur' medical group formed by Dr. Hector Munro, and found themselves on the western front very early in the war working as nurses. Their adventures are so outrageous and 'Boys' Own Paper' that they could be dismissed as over exaggerated, but somehow you always believe that everthing they relate actually happened. It covers the period up to March 1916, and has quite a few photos which don't seem to appear elsewhere. A good read, especially for those who never believe that women got anywhere near the front This is titled 'The Two' Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaisersoffensive Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 [A good read, especially for those who never believe that women got anywhere near the front This is titled 'The Two' God bless them all! Can anyone identify the medals each of these remarkable ladies is wearing? Could it be a 14 or 14/15 star and if so when would it have been issued with Army Council permission to wear? Thanking you in anticipation. Regards, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 [A good read, especially for those who never believe that women got anywhere near the front This is titled 'The Two' God bless them all! Can anyone identify the medals each of these remarkable ladies is wearing? Could it be a 14 or 14/15 star and if so when would it have been issued with Army Council permission to wear? Thanking you in anticipation. Regards, Bob <{POST_SNAPBACK}> They look like Belgian Croix de Guerres to me. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 Can anyone identify the medals each of these remarkable ladies is wearing? Could it be a 14 or 14/15 star and if so when would it have been issued with Army Council permission to wear? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Bob I will spare the forum another obscure quiz! The medal is Knight [Chevalier] of the Order of Leopold II, pinned on their uniforms personally by King Albert early in 1915. 'All the hastily acquired ideas concerning etiquette fled from their minds when the immensely tall King towered above them, his sad, deep-blue eyes looking down upon them as he pinned the Cross on their tunics. He talked with them a long time in English, and asked many questions about Pervyse, expressing his personal gratitude for their work among his beloved soldiers; and when he had passed on to decorate others, they realized with something like dismay that he had so completely enthralled them they had quite forgotten to curtsey, and had talked with him as is he had been a kind friend or one of the officers who came familiarly in and out of the house.' Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 I stand corrected but from a distance ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaisersoffensive Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 Bob I will spare the forum another obscure quiz! The medal is Knight [Chevalier] of the Order of Leopold II, pinned on their uniforms personally by King Albert early in 1915. 'All the hastily acquired ideas concerning etiquette fled from their minds when the immensely tall King towered above them, his sad, deep-blue eyes looking down upon them as he pinned the Cross on their tunics. He talked with them a long time in English, and asked many questions about Pervyse, expressing his personal gratitude for their work among his beloved soldiers; and when he had passed on to decorate others, they realized with something like dismay that he had so completely enthralled them they had quite forgotten to curtsey, and had talked with him as is he had been a kind friend or one of the officers who came familiarly in and out of the house.' Sue <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thank you Sue for the information. I am in awe of the amazing wealth of knowledge displayed on this site. I think you to deserve a medal of some sort. Any suggestions? And pleace Dirty Dick nothing like O.C. ( Order of the Catheter) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 Sue - I notice the nurses are wearing boots with a short coat. I've never seen a nurse's uniform like that before. Did they belong to a special service? Marina Kaier - Sue gets the TIAW - the Treasurer of Information about Women! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 18 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 June , 2005 sue if some of their adventures were exagerrated its nothing compared to the boys exaggerations,still remarkable women though,ime not one of those who think the lassess did nowt,many of them would have served in the front lines but were forbidden,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 19 June , 2005 Share Posted 19 June , 2005 I notice the nurses are wearing boots with a short coat. I've never seen a nurse's uniform like that before. Did they belong to a special service? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Marina Because they went out with an independent unit, I think they could more or less sort out their own uniforms. The picture above seems to have been specially posed for the book, and the caps are ironed and the boots polished, but other photos in the book show them in exactly the same clothes while they were working. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalredcross Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 She apparently first enrolled in the Women's Emergency Corps as a Despatch rider but in Sept. 1914 joined the Munro Ambulance Corps which was one of those semi-official units that managed to get across to France in the early days. Hence the practical dress (hardly a uniform). She ended the war with the Military Medal and as an Administrator in the Women's Royal Air Force. Served again in WW2 WAAF. She had besides the MM the Belgian Leopold II and Medaille de la Reine Elisabeth and was an Hon. Associate of the Order of St. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted 22 June , 2005 Share Posted 22 June , 2005 Simon Simon I live in Lancaster!!! Will have to check dates etc to see if i can come. Am in Turkey, from 25th July to Aug 12th, dont know if it clashes as ive not checked the site yet. I am a trained as a nurse too!!! with a family history of nurses back to the early 1900's, with histories!! Lindse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 23 June , 2005 Share Posted 23 June , 2005 Simon I live in Lancaster!!! Will have to check dates etc to see if i can come. Am in Turkey, from 25th July to Aug 12th, dont know if it clashes as ive not checked the site yet. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Lindsey - hurry! You may be OK if you don't need to book university accommodation. Hope to see you there! Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted 23 June , 2005 Share Posted 23 June , 2005 Unfortunatley....and i am really dissapointed, I shall be away during the time of the study week you have organised. May be you could get in touch and let me know if there are to be future such events or other happenings seeing as we are in such close proximity!!! Lindsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 20 March , 2014 Share Posted 20 March , 2014 Article in today's Daily Telegraph Joan Bakewell refers to "home towns of Preshute ... near Marlborough in Wiltshire". Preshute is actually a small village just outside Marlborough, with an eponymous boarding-house for boys of Marlborough College. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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